A new electrocardiographic evaluation in hyperkalemia: frontal QRS-T angle

INTRODUCTION: ECG is a frequently used and easily accessible diagnostic tool used to evaluate cardiac involvement in hyperkalemia patients. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the mortality prediction potential of the frontal QRS-T angle in hyperkalemia patients and the effects of the treatment process on this angle. METHOD: The study was planned as a prospective study. A total of 121 hyperkalemia patients were included in the study. Conditions that caused high potassium were identified and the PR, QRS, QT, QTc, and frontal QRS-T angle were calculated and recorded from the 12-lead ECG recordings of the patients at the time of admission to the emergency room. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 58.5 ± 9.2 years (median: 59), 63 (% 52.1) were female and 58 (% 47.9) were male. The second measurements of the ECG parameters PR, QTc, QRS, T-amplitude, T duration, and frontal QRS-T values were lower than the first measurements (p < 0.001; p = 0.007; p < 0.001; p < 0.001; p < 0.001; p = 0.006, respectively). The ability of the patient's ECG parameters PR, QT, QTc, QRS, T-amplitude, frontal QRS-T angle, and frontal QRS-T (absolute value) to predict the development of mortality In the ROC Curve analysis, it was found that these parameters did not have a statistically significant effect in predicting mortality. CONCLUSION: As well as known ECG findings, in cases of hyperkalemia, widening of the frontal QRS-T angle and correction of this widened angle in patients with normokalemia detected with treatment can be used as an important follow-up parameter.